Mining machine



Nov.25, 1.941. R K, JEFFREY ET AL 24,263,925

MINING MACHINE Original Filed May 6, 1958 2 Shets-Sheetl EWI 2B als '2'6" Is j gli 23o |45 u@ l' V91.@-

ROBERT KJEFFEY,

AND

LEWIS E. MITCHELL,DECEA5ED, ,B3 RICHARDDNsCHoLS,ADMINISTRATO@ BYMM. 7n. fp-MW,

Nov. 25, 1941. R K, JEFFREY. ET AL 2,263,925

MINING MACHINE Original Filled May 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LD LO (0 3 a a gg g/ m N a u) IZIG l /NI/ENTo/Qf ROBERT K.JEI=FIQI:Y,

ANO LEWIS E. MITCHELLDECEASED, B Lj RICHARD D. NICHOLS, ADMINISTRATOR,

BY www) HTT'Y ZIB Patented Nov. 25, 1941 t Y UNITED sTATss PATENT orrics MINING MACHINE Robert K. Jerey, Columbus, Ohio, and Lewis E.

Mitchell, deceased, late of Columbus, Ohio, byv

' Richard D. Nichols, administrator, Columbus, Ohio, assignors to The Jerey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio Original application May 6,` 1938, Serial No. 206,448. Divided and this application November 4, 1940, SeraLNo. 364325A a claims. .(cl. 26e-2s) This invention relates to a mining machine and particularly to conduit forming mechanism for conducting hydraulic iluid to hydraulic motor means for adjusting the mining mechanism of a mining machine, which conduit mechanism in cludes relatively movable parts.

An object of the invention is to provide a mining machine with hydraulic controlling mechanism inwhich improved conduit forming mechanism for the hydraulic fluid is provided to form l a continuous conduit which travels through one or more relatively movable parts of the mining machine and in which the conduit is continuous at all positions of adjustment of said adjustable parts.

Another object of the invention is t0 provide a continuous conduit forming meansbetween two relatively moving parts which will form a continuous Vconduit for all relative positions of adjustment of said parts and which will withstand very high hydraulic pressures.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for conducting hydraulic `iiuid to a pivoted or trunnioned hydraulic piston motor.

a mining machine which includes a pivoted hydraulic piston motor and improved conduit forming means leading thereto in which provision is made for pivotal movement of the hydraulic mo- .2,5 Another object of the invention is to provide tor relativeto its support and in which provision is made for swinging of the entire hydraulic motor as a unit while maintaining the hydraulic conduit continuous at all times.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

This application is a division of our application Serial No. 206,448 led May 6, 1938, for an improvement in Mining machines.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a diagr-ammatic plan View showing a mining machine incorporating the structure of our invention;

. A i Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the for- Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through thehead of the mining machine; and

Fig. 6 isa piping diagram of apart of th hydraulic system showing certain structural parts thereoffdiagrammatically.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings there is illustrated diagrammatically a mining machine which incorporates the features of the invention herein claimed. The mining machine is disclosed in full detail in our parent application above identied, of which this application is 'a division, and so no attempt will be Amade to describe it in detail in its entirety, only vthose parts forming the subjectmatter ci the invention herein claimed being specifically described... v

Said mining machine includes a truck which supports a turntable 'H uponwhich is mounted for adjustment in a vertical plane a supplementary frame |00 which-has a forwardlyextending neck |06 carrying'a turnover head mechanism |59 which provides for various adjustments of a kerf cutting mechanism |60.

Extending rearwardly from and supportedby the truck 45 is -a platformA 545 which carries `a considerable-amount of mechanism which'per se is not pertinent totheinvention herein claimed. lAttention is directed particularly to Figs. 2 and 5 and to the structure of the turnover head mechanism -and the operating means therefor which are adjustably supported with respect to th supplementary frame |60. As seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the previously mentioned elongatedneck |09 is providedat opposite ends with spaced apart journal bearings upon 4which is journaleda cylinder |40.

VAs clearly-illustrated in Figs. 2 Vand5 of the drawings, the forward and lower end of the cylinder .|40 is provided with an integral drum |46 withinwhich drum is rotatably mounted a vcylindrical shell |48. The shell |48 is vprovided with a pair of end plates |49 and |50 which vare rigidly but removably attached to said shellk |48 as. by machine screws- |5|. It isthusto be seen that the shell |43v provides an enlarged bearing contact withthe interior. of the drum `|46 and is mounted for rotation with respect to said drum |46 about the longitudinal axis of said s hell |48 and drum |46. y Adjacent their bottoms the end p1ates"|49 and |50 4are providedwith semi-cylindrical anges |52 which cooperatewith a flanged split ring |53 rigidly attached to a supporting plate or casting |54 asby screws, which plate |54 carries a cutter bar |56 (Fig. 2) with which is associated acut- 55V terchain .|57 provided withcutter bits |58.v

It is thus evident that the drum |46, shell |48 and end plates |49 and |50 form the turnover head mechanism |59 which is pivotally adjustable with respect to the longitudinal axis of the neck |09, andi that the head mechanism |59 swingably supports a kerf cutting mechanism |60 comprising the cutter bar |56, cutter chain |51 and bits |58, which kerf cutting mechanism |60 is pivotally adjustable with respect to the head mechanism |59 about a generally upright or vertical axis.

Cutter chain |51 is driven from an electric,r motor forming part of supplementary frame |y and through gearing terminating in shaft |19V and sprocket |81 as fully disclosed in ourk parent application above identified. A

To provide for the adjustment of the. kerf cutter mechanism |60 with respect to the tumover head mechanism |59 about the axis of the shaft |19, we provide a pair of hydraulic piston motors 205, best seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings; The two piston motors 205 are mounted upon opposite sides of the turnover head mechanism -I 59 and are carried by rearwardly extending arms '206 formed integral with the end plates |49 and |50 of the turnover head mechanism |59. Extending between the two spaced arms 206 and cooperating therewith to support the piston motors 205 is a bracket 201 (Fig. 4) 'which is rigidly attached thereto as by screws 208. As clearly seen by vreference to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, each of the arms 206 cooperates with one end of the bracket 201 to provide a pair of spaced journal bearings adapted to receive trunnions -209 and 2|10 formed integral with a cylindrical casting 2`I| of a piston motor 205. It is thus evident that each of the piston motors '205 is mounted for pivotal movement with respect to the turnover lhead mechanism |159 about a normal-ly upright axis.

Each of the piston 'motors 205 also includes a cylinder 2|2 rigidly attached to the casting 2|| 4and a removable piston rod head 2-|3. Withirixthel cylinder 2|2 we provide a piston 214 carried on 'a piston rod 2|5. The -forward en'ds of the piston rods 2|5 of the piston .motors 205 are pivotally attached by 'pins b|2|0 to bii'urcated 'portions |211 of casting |54 Aform-ing a part o'f the .'kerf `cutting mechanism |60, as previously described.

1t will be vevident that `by operating the -hydraulic piston 'motors 205 opposite directions the kerf cutting mechanism |60 may be swung about the laxis of the shaft |19.

rAttention is Vnow .directed particularly to Figs. 3 and 4 and to the construction of the hydraulic conduits leading 'to the opposite ends of one of the hydraulic piston .motors205. It Ymay be mentioned that eachV of said .hydraulic .piston motors 205 lisci the double acting type so thathydraulic fluid may be fed under pressure to either end thereof- To provide a conduit leading to the cylinder .2|2 which `will permit pivotal movement thereof about the trunnions 209, 210, trunnion 2|0 -is provided with two drilled passageways 2|6 and 2|1, the .former of which communicates with a pipe 2|8 leading to a port 2|9 inthe vhead end of the cylinder 2 |2. Associated with the passageway -216 .is la `flexible .rubber hose '220 provided with an appropriatettingnl. Passageway 2|1 communicates with a .longitudinally extending passageway .22.2 in casting 2|| which, in turn, communicates with a port 223 .providing cornmunication -to the piston rod Yend of the cylinder 2|2. A rubber'hose 224 is provided with a tting 225 and communicates with the passageway 2|1.

Also within the casting 2|| and communieating with the piston rod end of cylinder 2|2 is a passageway 226 leading to an outlet hose 221 provided with an appropriate fitting 228. It is to be noted that the tting 228 is attached to the casting 2| I at a position adjacent the pivotal axis of the cylinder 2|2.

It may be stated that the two piston motors 205 are of similar but not identical construction .and the upper piston motor 205, as viewed in Fig. 2 differs from the piston motor illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings in the following respects. Said upper piston motor 205 is not provided with any passageway similar to passageway 2| 6. It is also provided with a pipe 2| 8 similar to pipe 2| 8 except that said pipe 2|8' leads to a passageway in the casting 2|| which receives a fitting on the opposite end of hose 221 ysimilar to tting 228. In other words, hose 221 has a 'fitting at its opposite end from that illustrated in Fig. 4 which is threaded in casting 2|| of the upper piston motor 205 which communicates with pipe 2|8 leading to the head end of the cylinder 2|2 of vsaid piston motor. The piston rod end of the upper piston motor 205 is connected to a exible hose similar to hose 224 through passageways similar to passageways 2|1"and 222 and port 223. The various connections by which hydraulic uid is supplied to the piston motors 205 are described in full detail in our parent application.

To provide for the pivotal movement of the kerf cutting mechanism |60 on the transverse axis of the end plates |49, |50 a hydraulic piston motor 230 (Fig. 2) comprising a cylinder 23| is bolted to the top of cylinder |40 carried on neck |09. The piston motor 230 is of the double acting type and thus the cylinder 23| is provided with inlet ports adjacent its head and piston rod end, respectively.

Within the cylinder 23| is a piston mounted upon a piston rod 235 which is connected to a sliding cross-piece 238. The cross-piece 238 is 'adapted to slide upon a horizontal slideway 24| formed on the top of cylinder |40, said slideway 24| and cross-piece 238 having cooperating locking flange means which provides for free sliding movement between them while holding the crosspiece 238 onto said slideway 24|. The cross-piece 238 is provided with trunnions 243 which cooperate with a pair of arms 244 which are pivotally attached by pins 245 (see Fig. '2) Vto integral bifurc'ated brackets 246 (Fig. 5) carried adjacent the tops of end plates |49 and |50 of the turnover head mechanism |59. It will thus be evident that by controlling the supply of hydraulic pressure to the piston motor 230 the crosspiece 238 may be slid forwardly and rearwardly or locked in any desired position with a consequent pivotal movement of the kerf cutting mechanism |60 about the axis of the 'end plates |49, |50.

It is evident that the hydraulic piston motor 230 for adjusting rthe kerf cutting mechanism |60 about the axis of end plates |49, |50 and the hydraulic piston motors 205 for swinging said kerf cutting mechanism |60 about the axis of shaft |19 are both mounted to partake of the rotary motion of the cylinder |40 about the neck |09. Furthermore, there is a pivotal motion between the hydraulic piston motors 205 and the cylinder |40 about the axis of end plates |49, |50. Asa consequence, provision must be made for connecting the hydraulic hoses or conduits to the hydraulic piston motors 205 and 230 while providing for these free pivotal movements. To this end the hoses 220 and 224 lead from the lower piston motor 205, as viewed in Fig. 2, to a swivel cylinder 300, (see Figs. and 6), formed in end plate |50, the axis of which is along the axis of the plate |50.

It may be stated that the hoses 220 and 224 are protected by housing 30| mounted on arm 206 and by housing 302 (see Fig. 2), carried on the forward portion of brackets 245.

Within the cylinder 300 is a cylindrical piston or post 303 provided with longitudinally extending bores 304 and 305. Bore 300 communicates with a circumferential piston ring 306 provided with a circumferential groove 301 in communication with a bore 308 in cylinder 305 which communicates with hose 224. In a similar manner bore 305 communicates with piston ring 309 provided with circumferential groove 3|0 communieating with bore 3|| in cylinder 300 which communicates with hose 220.

Oil seal packing 3|2 surrounds the piston 303 and provides an oil tight seal between it and the cylinder 300. The packing 3|2 is removably held in place on the piston 303 by a removable cap 3|3 attached thereto by machine screw 3|4.

It will be evident that the piston or cylindrical post 303 may be rotated with respect to the cylinder 300 and yet insure continuous communication between the bores or ports 304 and 308 and between the bores or passageways 305 and 3| It may also be mentioned that also connected to the bore or port 3|| is a. flexible rubber hose 3|5 (Fig. 6) which connects to the piston rod end of the top piston motor 205. This hose 3|5 (Fig. 6) is protected by housing 3 6 mounted upon top arm 206, as viewed in Fig. 2 of the drawings. It is thus to be noted that all of the eXible rubber hoses 220, 224 and 3|5 are fully protected. It may also be mentioned that the rubber hose 221 is protected by the bracket 201, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Leading from the bores 304 and 395, respectively and rigidly attached to the cylinder or post 303 is a pair of rigid metal hydraulic pipes 3|'| and 3|8, the other ends of which are rigidly connected to a block 3| 9 molmted on the cylinder |130, as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. It is thus evident that a flexible uid-tight connection is provided between the rigid hydraulic pipes 3|1 and 3|8 which are carried by the cylinder |40 and the ports 308 and 3|| in the cylinder 300 which is pivotally mounted with respect to said cylinder |40 and which pivots with the kerf cutting mechanism |60 about the axis of end plates |49, |50.

Leading to block 3|9 and communicating with pipes 3|`| and 3|8 are flexible conduits or hoses 32| and 320, respectively, which selectively act as pressure and return lines for that part of the hydraulic system which controls motors 205, as fully disclosed in our parent application above identified.

It is manifest that during the operation of the mining machine the cutter bar |56 may be swung in its own plane in reverse directions by selective operation of the hydraulic motors 205 which may be reversely operated as disclosed completely in our parent application above identified. When in any selective position of adjustment they are locked by trapping the hydraulic uid therein.

During any swinging movement said motors 205 pivot about their trunnions 209 and 2|0 and this pivotal movement is freely provided by virtue of the connections disclosed.

Swinging movement of the cutter bar |56 in a plane at right angles to its own plane is accomplished by virtue of the double acting piston motor 230, and the hydraulic conduit or path leading from the two rigid pipes 3|'| and 3|8 is continuously maintained to the two motors 205 and 206 by virtue of the aforo-described conduit forming ilexible connection 300, etc., which is so constructed as to form a very high pressure flexible coupling which maintains a continuous conduit between bores 304 and 305 and ports 300 and 3| respectively, at all times. This insures the availability of hydraulic fluid under pressure to operate the hydraulic piston motors 205 at all times without regard to the position of the cutter bar |56 with respect to the turnover head mechanism |59.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as dened by the claims hereto appended, and we therefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of our invention, what we desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a mining machine, the combination with a frame, of kerf cutting mechanism, means for adjusting said kerf cutting mechanism relative to said frame on angularly related axes including a pivoted hydraulic piston motor for swinging said kerf cutting mechanism on one of said axes, mechanism providing a hydraulic path leading to said motor including a, packed piston and cylinder between pivotal parts on the other of said axes.

2. Apparatus of the class described, comprising means providing an interior cylindrical surface having a hydraulic iiuid conducting bore communicating with the interior thereof, a piston member mounted in said interior and pivotally adjustable relative thereto about its axis. conduit forming means in said piston member. means including a bored piston ring in said piston providing communication between said bore and said conduit forming means, and packing means forming a high pressure seal between said cylindrical surface and said piston to prevent leakage of hydraulic iiuid flowing through said bore and conduit forming means.

I 3. Apparatus of the class described, comprising means providing an interior cylindrical surface having a hydraulic uid conducting bore communicating with the interior thereof, a piston member mounted in said interior and pivotally adjustable relative thereto about its axis. conduit forming means in said piston member, means including a bored piston ring in said piston providing communication lbetween said bore and said conduit forming means, and means forming a seal between said cylindrical surface and said piston to prevent leakage of hydraulic nuid flowing through said bore and conduit forming means.

ROBERT K. JEFFREY.

RICHARD D. NICHOLS.

Administrator of the Estate of Lewis E, Mitchell,

Deceased. 

